Hot on the tail of Quadrantid meteor showeranother spectacle in the sky is about to arrive: comet Atlas C/2024 G3, which will reach perihelion — the point of its orbit closest to the sun — on January 13. On the same day, we will see it make its closest approach to Earth, and it could become the brightest comet in 2025, during a year when other comets are unlikely to be visible to the naked eye. Here’s everything you need to know.
C/2024 G3 discovered on April 5, 2024 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (Atlas)—a network of telescopes that scan the universe for asteroids that could potentially hit Earth. The comet comes from Oort clouda remote region at the outer edge of the Solar System that is believed to contain remnants of the material that formed the planets of the Solar System.
When comet C/2024 G3 reaches perihelion, it will come just 13.5 million kilometers from the sun – for context, Mercury, the planet closest to the sun, orbits the star at a distance of 47 million kilometers. According to the latest calculations he published Planetary societyC/2024 G3 could reach magnitude -4.5, which is about the same as Venus, and would likely be visible to the naked eye for people in the southern hemisphere.
However, the comet’s unusually close trip to the Sun raises the question of whether it will survive. Its orbital path suggests that it is a dynamically old comet and that this is not its first trip around the Sun. In fact, its last approach is estimated to have been around 160,000 years ago, meaning it may have already survived nearby. “It’s going to be very hot and it may not survive,” says Nick James, director of the comet department British Astronomical Association. “But if it does, it could be an impressive object in the southern hemisphere evening sky after perihelion.”
How to observe a comet
If it survives unscathed, the comet will be visible in the southern hemisphere in the west just after sunset on January 13. The comet’s orbital configuration makes viewing difficult for those in the Northern Hemisphere—it will appear very low in the sky just after sunset or before sunrise, but will likely be submerged in the twilight.
The comet’s proximity to the Sun means spotting it could be dangerous, and James says C/2024 G3 “should only be observed if you’re an experienced observer”. Looking directly into the sun without protective equipment can cause permanent eye damage.
There will also be interference from the light of the waning Moon, which could make viewing difficult. Observing the comet with the naked eye in the Southern Hemisphere may be possible, but may require binoculars or a telescope.
Those who don’t want to miss the show can follow the comet in pictures from Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Lasco C3 coronagraph, or consult IAU Minor Planet Center or Comet Observation (COBS) database.
This story originally appeared on WIRED Italy and it was translated from Italian.